Chapter 310

He didn't receive any preferential treatment or discrimination because he became Herrscher. His eye, which looked like the Evil King's True Eye, didn't attract much attention either.

His room was still the small single room next to the tool shed, and the furniture inside was the same set that he had forced Ai Yi to replace.

Life seemed to go on as usual, and my actual job was just something I could do or not do.

"Feeling a bit bored." Li Pu, lying on the bed staring at the ceiling, felt a little bored. Some time had passed since the incident in Changkong City. After confirming that the Honkai in Changkong City had been reduced to normal levels, the Celestial Empire began reconstruction work.

Li Pu seemed to recall a storyline in the mobile game about returning to Changkong City, which seemed unlikely to be realized in this world.

Because the Changkong City they returned to was a ruin after Honkai, completely different from the one they are in now.

Theresa didn't show up or come to see Li Pu; she had new things to do: rebuilding the school. This was because of Otto, although he wasn't the mastermind or the instigator of this situation.

However, the local government was very dissatisfied with the fact that the government failed to report the situation and allowed it to worsen.

What was clearly an avoidable situation turned out this way. On one hand, they are intensifying their investigation into the mole; on the other hand, they have also taken certain disciplinary actions against Otto. For example, they revoked St. Freya's qualification to recruit students in Changkong City, and the entire school is facing an indefinite investigation.

As for the outcome? Either they'll have to move out completely, or they'll face a huge fine.

As for the reason for the fine, it certainly can't be something like Otto's inaction, as Otto and China have a cooperative relationship and will continue to cooperate in the future. It's impossible for this matter to cause a complete falling out, let alone punish him for inaction or dereliction of duty.

Of course, charges can be found if you want to. St. Freya has been in Changkong City for so many years, and Otto and Theresa have been running the business for so long. It's impossible that everything was reported or that everything complied with regulations. If the government is willing to investigate thoroughly, there will always be some things Otto knew or may not have known that were poorly handled and indeed involved some illegal activities that will be uncovered.

Therefore, the charges have never been the issue, and the Chinese government has made it very clear that it will only punish foreign-invested enterprises that violate laws and regulations, such as those operating in the Changkong City, in a reasonable and legal manner.

It has nothing to do with the power or country it belongs to, and it is not targeting anyone.

So Otto was helpless. He was in the wrong, and the other party had pinpointed the problem accurately, though it wasn't explicitly targeting him. As for the huge fine, paying it was definitely out of the question. The entire operation of Schicksal —the training of Valkyrie, equipment manufacturing and maintenance, the construction and maintenance of warships, the research and development of new technologies, and so on—all required money. After calculation, the cost of moving it was far lower than the fine.

Otto wisely chose to relocate and then urged Theresa to do it.

Why Theresa? Because although St. Freya had investments, nominally and according to government documents, it belonged to Theresa. Otto was essentially a behind-the-scenes operator and the true permanent owner.

This also became the reason why the Changkong City punished St. Freya.

Despite the criticism, they still left room for maneuver. They still welcome Otto to come back and set up a factory here again, for investments like Half-Blood.

After all that had happened Theresa knew that she and her St. Freya had to move because of it, though they hadn't decided where to go yet. Just then, the Far East extended an olive branch.

The Far East is a delicate place. Because of its relationship with Amei, theoretically it belongs to the sphere of influence of Anti-Entropy.

However, it is located in Asia, very close to China but very far from Taiwan. So, from a geographical or geopolitical perspective, the Far East is both very close to the Schicksal and far from the state of Anti-Entropy.

This geopolitical relationship has also shaped the complexity of the Far East itself, which is significantly influenced by Anti-Entropy. Anti-Entropy has established numerous research institutes, companies, and production facilities in the Far East. Meanwhile, Schicksal also has its own investments there, not far less than Anti-Entropy's. This puts Schicksal and Anti-Entropy in a strange balance of power in the Far East.

Anti-Entropy has no way to expel Schicksal from its exclusive control of the Far East, and Schicksal is also unwilling to drive out Anti-Entropy, intending to use the Far East as the front line for communication and confrontation between Schicksal and Anti-Entropy.

The Far East itself is divided into two major factions: those supporting Schicksal and those supporting Anti-Entropy. Those supporting Schicksal naturally seized this opportunity to extend an olive branch to Theresa. On one hand, they want to strengthen Schicksal's presence there to suppress Anti-Entropy. Of course, Valkyrie are indeed one of the most effective means of combating Honkai at present, and in terms of cost-effectiveness, Valkyrie are also better.

Theresa naturally went there to investigate, to see if there was a place that would be very suitable for building a new St. Freya.

Himeko and Mei went with her, along with an unexpected person: Hi-Fyūmaru. Both Himeko and Mei were from the Far East and were more familiar with its customs and culture. Hi-Fyūmaru had spent the final stages of her escape from the seal in the Far East, and she wanted to see what Yae Village looked like now. With Mei gone, that sly fox naturally...

For at least a long time, Li Pu wouldn't have to worry about that scoundrel coming up with any strange tricks to test him.

But without the rascal fox, everything seems to have become boring.

Since their last meeting, Siegfried has focused his main efforts on Kiana and K423. Cherry Girl, Bronya, and Wendy have all been sent by Otto to Changkong City to clear up the remaining effects of the Honkai.

As for Ai Yi, I heard that she recently made a lot of money from a certain Redhead guy and added N more to her Sbeam account. She is currently addicted to the game and can't extricate herself from it.

So this was truly a rare moment of free time for Li Pu.

"Speaking of that Redhead ..." Li Pu said, getting out of bed. "I could go and meet him."

That Redhead might be a very important person in the future. His combat strength and growth potential are crucial questions. It would be best to find out now. Since we're just idling around anyway, we might as well go find that Redhead.

Let's see just how capable that Redhead really is.

Li Pu turned over and sat up.

Where should that Redhead be now?

Where is Redhead? Redhead isn't actually that hard to find. Although his combat power level should be considered the limit of human combat power without the influence of Honkai, he is still essentially a non-combatant.

Moreover, as a future captain who will need to command a ship, he should now be learning more about the Valkyrie and becoming familiar with the ships.

Of course, there's still so much more to learn.

Therefore, he was most likely spending this time in a place like the library on the ship.

"You're here." Li Pu didn't find Redhead the library, but in the maintenance team.

"Mr. Li?" Redhead looked at Li Pu with some surprise. This was probably the first time Li Pu had taken the initiative to contact him.

"Hey~ don't call me Mr. Li anymore." Li Pu said in a very enthusiastic manner, "I feel like you're making me sound old. I'm not necessarily older than you. You can just call me Brother Li."

"I didn't expect to see you here." Li Pu looked at the maintenance crew and said, "I've been looking for you for ages. I thought you'd be somewhere like the bridge. Turns out you're here."

"The maintenance team is also very important," Redhead said. "You can find information about equipment maintenance and the like by contacting them."

"Oh~" Li Pu wasn't particularly interested in this, but the Redhead guy's serious and responsible attitude really impressed him. It seemed that recommending this kid wasn't just because of his good physique; his self-discipline and proactive learning ability were also quite impressive.

"What brings you here, Brother Li?" Redhead was quite curious, as this was the first time Li Pu had taken the initiative to contact him.

I had a feeling that the person coming here had some ill intentions.

"It's nothing." Li Pu shrugged casually and said, "When I was in quarantine, Ai-chan, the AI on this ship, said that you seemed to have defeated Yae Sakura."

"Ah... this~" Redhead's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. Sure enough, this was a case of a night owl not coming to his house unless there was a reason. This Li Pu definitely wasn't looking for him out of boredom or just to chat idly.

"We didn't win either," the Redhead said modestly. "We just..."

"It doesn't matter." Li Pu patted the Redhead on the shoulder and said, "Whether you win or not isn't the key. You have to know that Yae Sakura is Herrscher ... she is Simulated Herrscher. Although she can't be considered a true Herrscher, after being strengthened by the Honkai, even in pure swordsmanship, she is still very powerful."

Because she is Simulated Herrscher, her dynamic observation ability, reaction ability, and motor ability are several times that of ordinary people.

Being able to fight against such a person without being at a disadvantage is itself a demonstration of strength.

So winning is no longer important.

"So I'm curious," Li Pu said. "My swordsmanship isn't great, but I know a tiny bit. So I'd like to ask you for some pointers."

"Don't be offended~" Li Pu said sincerely, "Please give me some pointers~"

"A tiny bit..." Redhead had absolutely no idea where to begin with his comment.

He remembered another Valkyrie on the ship, Durandal, who said that Li Pu could be overpowered simply by swordsmanship. So you call this knowing a little bit?

Redhead really wanted to refuse, but seeing Li Pu's arm around him and the way he was being dragged toward the training room, he hesitated.

I just couldn't refuse!

"From the UK!"

Chapter 343 A Little Bit

Valkyrie Training Room.

"Um..." the Redhead said, holding a long sword, "It was a promise, pure swordsmanship."

"Of course!" Li Pu, who had already switched to his Saber form, said, "It's purely swordsmanship. I just want to know your abilities. There's no need to worry. There's absolutely no personal vendetta involved."

"I've completely forgotten about you pulling my hair back then." Saber brandished his greatsword and said, "Look, I didn't even have to use the EXcalibur."

"Ah... you're still planning to use the Holy Sword?" The Redhead was speechless.

You said you don't remember? You clearly remember! Are you really not planning to use this sparring match as an excuse to get revenge? Really? How can you be so unbelievable?

Although he felt that Saber's words were unreliable, the Redhead had no choice but to assume a fighting stance, as there was no way to avoid it! This was all he could do, and he hoped that Saber was definitely not looking for personal revenge.

"I swear in the name of the King of Knights." The Saber probably sensed the Redhead's worries and said, "Fair, just, and absolutely no malice."

Even after receiving Saber's oath, Redhead wasn't entirely at ease. However, Saber is the historically renowned King Arthur, so her oath should indicate that she genuinely had no intention of seeking personal revenge.

"Are you planning to use that katana in your hand against me?" Saber asked, seemingly a little puzzled. "Is it swordsmanship?"

"No," Redhead said. "Although it looks like a samurai sword, this thing is actually Miao Dao."

"You know the Miao Dao, right? It's a sword that was created based on the goose-feather sword."

"Oh~ so this is the Miao Dao." The Saber said with interest, "Upon closer inspection, it does seem to have obvious differences from a samurai sword."

The katana has a distinct curve. The Miao Dao, on the other hand, is straighter and Saber. I've only read about it in some novels and documents; it's a type of knife that's long and slender, resembling a seedling.

The Miao Dao appears to be a type of Chinese sword that combines features of Japanese swords, and its usage or swordsmanship is very similar to that of Japanese swords.

For example, this is the starting stance of the Redhead. This starting stance looks like the Yae Sakura often uses.

"Defense as offense?" Saber gripped the hilt of his sword and said, "Then I'll go for it."

Starting with an iaido slash, this Redhead seems to have a clear understanding of his own strengths and weaknesses. Since he doesn't have the advantage in an offensive attack, he chooses to defend and counter-attack. This is indeed a good option for a weaker opponent.

Defense exposes fewer weaknesses, while offense makes it easier for opponents to exploit openings in the attack.

After a brief standoff, Saber decided to take the initiative and attack. Although there was a possibility that the defenders could exploit any openings in the attack, the attackers were not without advantages. They would take the initiative and seize control of the battle's tempo.

As long as she can drag her opponent into her own attack rhythm, her chances of winning are still very high.

The Saber charged forward.

"Here it comes!" Redhead noticed that the Saber was holding a sword with both hands, the tip of the sword pointing to the ground on the left as he charged towards him.

Clearly, this was specifically to restrain his own sword-drawing slash; he needed to avoid its sharpness!

Avoiding their sharpest attacks was the lesson Redhead learned from his battle against Yae Sakura. Herrscher are all very strong, and he absolutely couldn't get caught up in their offensive rhythm, nor could he engage in a direct confrontation. Avoiding their sharpest attacks and waiting for the right opportunity was the best choice.

The Saber rushed up to him, swinging her sword diagonally upwards towards him.

This is a powerful move, swinging the longsword in a wide arc with both hands. This open stance also means that Saber will have a period of defensive vulnerability. Redhead needs to seize this opportunity.

Instead of drawing his sword, he jumped back to avoid the distance, and then suddenly lunged forward after the sword's edge had just grazed his nose.

At the same time, he drew his sword and slashed at the Saber.

"Snap!" Just then, the Saber suddenly accelerated again, freeing one hand to grab the hilt of the Miao Dao and forcefully push it back. The next second, he was face to face with the Redhead.

"Smack!" Another sound rang out as the Saber rammed his head into the Redhead's face, knocking him to the ground.

"That's it?" Saber brandished his longsword, his tone seemingly disdainful. "That's it? You don't think I don't know what Iaijutsu is, do you? You didn't know it and still stupidly charged forward, did you?"

Saber pointed to his forehead and said, "If I were fully armed, I would be wearing a helmet."

"Don't forget, I'm a knight." The Saber's tone became somewhat sarcastic. "If it's a full-armored battle, I have a horse and I'm dressed like a tin Canned Food."

"With your strength, defeating Yae Sakura was just a fluke, wasn't it?"

If that's the case, then Yae Sakura was careless and underestimated her opponent.

"Waaah~" Redhead covered his nose and got up from the ground, saying, "It's my fault for not taking it seriously enough."

I initially thought King Arthur might not understand Eastern swordsmanship. Judging from what I just saw, she didn't seem to recognize the sword in her hand and confused it with a samurai sword. So I thought this Saber might have only seen some of it but didn't really understand it.

Now it seems I really underestimated my opponent. I thought I could use the Iaijutsu to catch them off guard and seize the initiative, but it seems my opponent has completely figured me out.

"Of course~ Yae Miko did underestimate her opponent." The Redhead didn't mind admitting that there was a certain amount of luck involved in his ability to draw with Yae Sakura.

Yae Sakura initially didn't consider him a match of equal strength, which caused her to suffer significant losses in the early stages. However, it seems that with Yae Sakura's experience laying the groundwork, this Saber is now taking him quite seriously.

"I'm ready." Redhead.

After saying that, the Redhead struck a pose that King Arthur had never seen before, completely different from a Japanese sword, and which didn't look very cool and even looked a bit comical.

He stood with his feet apart, legs wide open, in a horse stance, leaning forward with the tip of his knife pointing towards the ground. There was an indescribable strangeness, and a touch of the comical.

Honestly, unlike the obvious sword draw attack just now where you could immediately tell the opponent's intention, this pose really confused Saber.

What is he trying to do? Offense or defense? And this posture looks a bit... a bit...

It feels like they're targeting the lower body.

P. S.: I will gradually revise the chapters that have been blocked.

Chapter 344 Miao Dao

This is a strange pose; the Saber has never seen it before.

Li Pu was the same; he wasn't a martial arts enthusiast in his previous life. His understanding of classical cold weapon combat was practically nonexistent. Most of his concepts and knowledge came from Saber and the parkour-like fighting scenes in anime, movies, and TV series.

However, by combining the knowledge of the Saber with what Li Pu knew about the masters who had suffered setbacks in his previous life, he could easily draw a conclusion.

In other words, the fighting depicted in anime, movies, and TV series is merely for show; real combat often doesn't conform to what the average person considers 'beautiful.' For example, the seemingly sophisticated Hunyuan Xingyi Tai Chi style can be so badly defeated in actual combat that one can only shout that it lacks martial ethics. Therefore, some seemingly comical stances actually demonstrate genuine skill.